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Tip #57 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Make the love of your life smile before you even walk down the aisle with this chill idea!

Things you’ll need:

Flower girl

Pen

Paper

And a few sweet words of LOVE

Chances are you already have 75% of these things, so all you need to know now is what to do with them. Remember, this will take you 5 minutes to do and it can even wait until the day of your wedding (yes, this is a procrastinator friendly tip!) because it is so simple and such a sweet gesture for that person waiting at the end of the aisle for you.

Simply ask your flower girl to walk down the aisle as planned, except at the end, have her hand a note to the groom as soon as she’s there. Your note can say something sweet, like “I can’t wait to marry you” or “I can’t wait to kiss you”, anything your heart desires to say GOES! This Bridechilla™ Tip is soooo simple and will definitely put a smile on his/her face right before you come in to view.

Tip #56 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Have an OYSTER BAR at your wedding or next party! Let’s turn your wedding in to a celebration with something fun, fresh, AND unique. Oysters, … Continue reading →

Tip #55 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Talking table decor? Let us inspire you with some of our earth-to-table designs.

As our wedding season is approaching, we can’t help but have our blog bursting with tons of inspiration from our recent seasons. Spring has begun which means there are florals, herbs, succulents, and many other elements we love to design with available. Paired with carefully chosen linens, moss and vintage wood boxes, birch, mercury glass, and much more, these are our original designs that are made to inspire and be the foundation to a beautiful day – from start to finish.

These images are straight from real Off The Beaten Path Weddings, and completely original! So start saving your favorites so you can have your event designer see what you want!

We are in love with each and every one of these details and hope you’ve found more than enough to get you thinking about your tables. To make sharing easier for you, save this online lookbook of our table designs!

Tip #54 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Start thinking about YOUR bouquet recipe and get inspired with some of our personal floral designs!

Last week we introduced some really chill cocktails, and before that we were helping you choose that perfect craft beer to serve at your wedding, and the previous week we were talking about including rosemary in your tablescape… SOOOO I guess you can say we are getting excited for the upcoming season and want to help prepare our readers.

So this week, we are at it again! In the spirit of SPRING, we can’t help but talk blooms. Yes, those pretty little things popping out of the ground lately. We’re loving all the colors growing around us and want to share some with you!

Ready to be inspired? Straight from some real Off The Beaten Path Weddings, here are some of our bouquets from the 2013 season… Save your favorites so you can have your floral designer see what you want!

Or stick with us until the end and see how you can DIY your own Bridal Bouquet… it just might be easier than you think.

Is your favorite bloom something as simple as a coral Tulip? Simplicity is elegance, if you ask us. Take your favorite flower to use strictly in your bouquet… use what inspires you! Fall in love with simplicity…

Remember choosing a bouquet ingredients and colors for your bridesmaids includes using florals that will go with the overall look. That means contrasting the colors in their bouquets with the color of their bridesmaid dresses… make those florals POP!

Or go softer with a classic white bouquet if you’re doing a neutral color palette. You can’t go wrong with this these soft tones…

The choice is yours! Colorful bouquet or classic white bouquet? Choose your bloom.And now for the DIY Bridechilla™… this is for you!It’s time to put those hands to work and create your own wedding bouquet (or simply something pretty to have around the house). Below you will find a bouquet recipe you just might love as much as us!

Recipe for the PERFECT SPRING BOUQUET:You’ll need…

Astilbes

Ferns

Seeded eucalyptus

Succulents

Garden roses

This vintage peach bouquet is soft, perfect for spring, and also has a statement succulent that has us absolutely in love with it.

Hopefully this floral inspiration has gotten the ideas in your head BLOOMING!

Tip #53 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Get inspired with these earth-to-table cocktails, and bookmark this cocktail recipe for tonight!

Last week we introduced some really awesome ways to bring rosemary to your next tablescape. If you haven’t seen the post yet, check it out here and be ready for another way to pair nature’s elements with what’s going on your table tonight. Straight from some real Off The Beaten Path Weddings, here are some of our most favorite craft cocktails.

The perfect reason to have a welcome cocktail for your guests arriving to your wedding… keep note, summer Bridechilla’s!

Spiked or not spiked?

Keep an eye on those lovely little details! We’ve got plenty to go around 🙂

Embellish your next cocktail with what ever inspires you!

Whether it is adding a small flower, mint, sprigs of lavender or rosemary with your recipe, making an earth-to-table cocktail is easier than you think… you just need the right inspiration.

To make a single serving of BLACKBERRY MINT LEMONADE:

Ingredients

3 cups water

1 cup sugar

18 mint leaves, torn

2 cups frozen/fresh blackberries

ice

3 mint sprigs

4 cups natural store-bought lemonade

mint sprigs

Instructions

Bring the water and sugar to boil in a small pot. Stir the water/sugar mixture until the sugar is dissolved then turn off the heat. Add the torn mint leave and give the pot a stir. Allow the simple syrup to cool.

Add the blackberries to a blender. Place a strainer over the mouth of the blender and pour the mint simple syrup into the container. Discard the mint leaves. Blend the simple syrup and the blackberries on low speed for just a few seconds at a time, just enough to break the berries apart but not enough to puree them.

Fill a juice pitcher halfway with ice and add the mint sprigs. Pour the lemonade and the blackberry mixture over the ice. Stir the blackberry mint lemonade and add more ice if necessary before serving.

Tip #52 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Try something more chill and serve a selection of craft beer at your wedding!

Champagne is a great way to celebrate, sure, but let’s talk about something more savory to toast to the newlyweds with: CRAFT BEER. If you’ve been pondering the idea of serving craft beer at your reception, you might as well give up the fight now because below you will find 5 strong reasons to have it:

More options! And no, we definitely aren’t talking about Bud, Miller, or Coors. We’re talking CRAFT BEER. There are almost 1,600 craft breweries in the U.S. brewing beers with their own unique ingredients in their own unique way. This is why craft beer is different. Don’t settle for the same beer found at your local Circle K, go to your LOCAL Craft Brewery and do a tasting! Your guests will thank you later for showing them the goodness that is Pale Ale, Lager, or something stronger. Remember, you have tons of choices!

Brewed with perfection. Craft beer has been described as, “10 minutes of pleasure, pure happiness in a glass, authentic, archetypical, an intellectual beverage that is to be savored not swilled and much, much more. It is enjoyed for everyday celebrations and is viewed by many as one of the special things in life that makes the day taste and feel a little better.” by CraftBeer.com and we couldn’t of said it better! Serve your guests a highly respected beverage by beer enthusiasts all over the world.

Hello, fewer calories. Need we say more? You probably worked out for MONTHS to have that perfect bridal bod, why ruin it with a beverage packed with empty, flavorless caloriest? Have something that you can *savour* the entire night!

Less expensive! If you serve your guests “beer-water” A.K.A. the other beer (let’s not do any name calling), they will most likely consume more of it to catch a little buzz. So you will have to supply more. Here’s our question: Why serve guests multiple, flavorless beers when they can savor a couple IPA’s and catch the same buzz and enjoy something with better quality?

Life is short, drink better beer. ‘Nuff said.

There you have it. Five awesome reasons you can blame for the best wedding planning decision you’ve made yet. So you’re planning to serve craft beer, but what should you serve? You should keep in mind that although craft beers are made with a complexity of amazing ingredients and treasured by millions all over the world, including Off The Beaten Path Weddings Chief Inspiration Officer, Mary Ellen Murphy – not everyone has tried the versatile beverage that is craft beer so you want to be careful about choosing ones that are too strong.

Another tip – be sure to visit the local breweries in your area to find the right selection. And again, please keep your guests in mind! You will have the serious beer drinkers, the uninitiated beer-water drinkers (whose lives are about to be changed forever), and the people that are in between. A good selection of craft beer at your reception would include a Pale Ale and Lager for your guests new to craft beer, and then a few other special selections for the more passionate craft beer fanatics.

Also another thing to keep in mind when choosing your craft beer – the food. You definitely want to pair your craft beer with your chosen entree so be thinking of how the flavors will flirt with each other.

In conclusion, craft beer is something that is treasured by many and should be enjoyed in moderation, shared, and revered. As you can probably tell, we’re big craft beer fans here at Off The Beaten Path Weddings + Bridechilla™, so of course we’re going to be a little bossy when trying to help you do it right. But now it’s your turn! Tell us your favorite craft beers, what selection will you be serving at YOUR wedding?

Tip #51 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Use touches of rosemary for your earth-to-table look.

Off The Beaten Path Weddings is known for being able to combine elegance and nature all on one table scape. We love bringing nature in to our event design process, but only just enough to embellish the already beautiful location of the event. The key is to use just enough, so that the event has a balance of sophisticated decor and organic touches. One of our favorite elements to use is rosemary. And why is that? It works in SO many different ways; and it is so delicate, simple, and plus – it smells amazing! See for yourself below and prepare to be inspired.

2013 Bridechilla™ Julia and husband Tom had a little touch of rosemary slipped in with their menus. (Event Design by Off The Beaten Path Weddings, photo by onelove photography)

Ways to use rosemary in your wedding decor:

DID YOU KNOW:During the middle ages, all elegant weddings utilized the herb rosemary, which is the symbol of remembrance and fidelity. Sprigs were dipped in gold, tied with a ribbon and given to the wedding guests.

All you need to do is type out names, print on cardstock, punch a hole, and stick a little rosemary in… or even tie it with a strand of twine… so easy and it looks beautiful!

This wedding was a stunner! The couple gave each guest baguettes as favors to take home. And to embellish those delicious favors? Rosemary.(via SMP, Planning Soiree by Simone Lennon, Photo by Delbarr Moradi Photography)

Are you looking for an informal, yet stunningly beautiful escort card and favor idea for your big day? This rosemary infused olive oil is the perfect solution for adding a stunning (and tasty) wine country touch for your guests to enjoy.

The perfect winter cake! Embellished with rosemary AND cranberries… and a little frosting never hurt anyone 🙂 (via thenaturalweddingcompany.co)

Don’t these two cakes just capture what a natural wedding is? Something as simple as sprigs of rosemary can make something look so lovely and cheerful.

We love this rosemary wreathed cake, it’s even topped with more of elements of nature. What’s not to love? (via thenaturalweddingcompany.co)

If anything, a cake topped, wreathed, or surrounded by rosemary would be the perfect way to add just enough natural elements to your outdoor wedding. The best part about being set between earth and sky is all the beautiful and simple things to be found right where you stand. Now, go put this inspiration to work!

Tip #50 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Get to know your wedding VIBE with Off The Beaten Path Inspiration Boards.

Off The Beaten Path Weddings has recently begun creating inspiration boards for every future Bridechilla™ to help guide us and each couple through the wedding design process. So, what is an inspiration board? An inspiration board is a collection of imagery chosen to evoke the style and essence of each wedding.Each board is designed based on the desires and vision each couple wants. Below you will find examples for each couple… which one would you choose for your wedding? Remember you can share it on Pinterest!

Kate and Patrick’s inspiration board for a May 2014 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

The couple requested blues, yellows, greys with a mixture of succulents and flowers on the tables. Kate says, “I want it to look natural and blend with the environment.”

Ching and Robert’s inspiration board for a June 2014 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

The couple requested shades of coral and greyish blue hues. They wanted their wedding to be a “rustic, romantic, foodie paradise, nature inspired and a big banging party!” and we plan for it to be just that!

Callie and Ralph’s inspiration for a June 2014 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

This animal-loving (And saving! Did we mention they are soon-to-be veterinarians?) couple requested shades of pale/pastel yellow, charcoal grey and pink as an accent color. They want a pet-friendly, summer wedding with a casual + elegant vibe.

Courtney and Benjamin’s inspiration for a July 2014 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

With shades of sage, olive, white with some peach accents and dark wood, linen and mercury glass… Courtney and Benjamin’s day will be the perfect outdoor wedding and we can’t wait to execute this look!

Carli and John’s inspiration for a July 2014 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

We love the touches of succulents and the “anthropologie-esque” feel of this wedding! With shades of orange, beige, and succulent green, their day will easily be a beautiful day full of nature-inspired elegance.

Erin and Ross’ inspiration for a July 2015 Off The Beaten Path Wedding.

Erin and Ross were extremely helpful in helping us create this vibe board! Erin described their wedding vibe to be rustic, organic, casual yet sophisticated, simple, vintage, farm-to-table, with natural tones such as whites, greys, and taupes. They wanted to leverage the natural beauty of the surroundings and let “nature do the work”, could they be more chill?

We’re looking forward to creating more and more inspiration for our future couples and still have plenty more inspiration to share. Upcoming vibe boards for Lisa + Keary, Maggie + Brian, and Natalie + Michael are coming up so stay tuned!

How to make organizing your Wedding Invitations a breeze

2012 Bridechilla™ Ni and husband Darren’s wedding invitation (Event Styling by Off The Beaten Path Weddings, photos by KT Merry Photography) on left and 2013 Bridechilla™ Steph and husband Jeremy’s wedding suite on right (Event Styling by Off The Beaten Path Weddings, photos by Matt Edge Photography).

Sorting your wedding invitations might seem like a fairly straight forward process, however once you start looking at designs you’ll soon realize that simply isn’t true. Organizing your invitations can begin to get complicated once you grasp how many options are out there and how many details need to be considered. To help take the stress out of organizing your wedding invitations we’ve put together some handy tips so you can begin your search with ease.

Guest article by Kristi charter

Setting your Budget

Before you get caught up in the whirlwind of looking at hundreds of different invitation designs, you must first sit down with your fiancé and work out your wedding budget. Setting boundaries at the start will help ensure you don’t spend well beyond your means. Once you have set a budget, you will need to decide what proportion of your entire wedding budget will be allocated to invitations. If you go ahead and begin your invitation search before setting a budget, you are likely to end up spending a lot more than you were initially prepared to spend so keep this in mind. By taking the time out to organize your budget with your partner you will also ensure they feel involved and that you are both in agreement from the start.

Consider your Theme

We’ve all heard it before and it really is true, your wedding invitation is the first glimpse your guests will have of your special day and it will set their expectations for what’s to come. As such it is important you take the opportunity to introduce your guests to the style and formality of your wedding through your invitations. In addition to all the key information such as dates and venue locations, your invitation design will help your guests decipher the dress code if it is not specifically stated. Having a theme or basic idea of how you wish to style your wedding in mind prior to sourcing your invitation will assist you in narrowing your search for invitations, effectively speeding up the entire process. Even simply having a color theme rather than a broader and more specific styling theme in mind can help.

Don’t settle

Before you commit to an order, make sure you first shop around and compare prices to ensure you are getting the best deal to suit your budget. For a simpler process we recommend browsing online wedding invitation suppliers rather than scouring traditional brick and mortar stores which can often be time consuming. The beauty of online stores is having the convenience to search for invitations at any time that fits within your schedule. By browsing online, you’ll be able to gauge whether you are getting a good deal and might even be able to find some one-off promotions. Also if you have the option, always order samples especially if ordering from an online supplier because products always look different in person. While prices are important you should also take the time to compare quality. By inspecting the invitations up close, you will be able to make a well informed selection and avoid ending up with invitations you are not truly happy with.

Wording your invites

While selecting the right design is important, choosing the right wording and layout is equally as important. You will need to do some research into wording options and styles, however your chosen wedding invitation supplier will most likely have templates that they can provide you with to inspire and assist you in selecting your wording. Similar to your design, your wording should also reflect the tone and style of your wedding. You can opt to keep it simple and include only the main points or you might like to add a quote or poem. Bear in mind that it is vital to keep the text minimal, as you don’t want to overload your guests with too much content. Including too much content has the potential to make it difficult for your guests to read and could possibly result in vital information such as times and locations getting lost in the confusion.

Know everything

The last step before you place an order with an invitation company is to reassess and confirm you have all the necessary information before you proceed. Make sure you know exactly what you will be paying for and that there are no hidden costs that might arise, which you hadn’t prepared for. An example of this is envelopes, some companies will provide these while others will charge a fee. You should also question your invitation supplier about their turnaround times and how long it will take until you receive your invites, including delivery times if relevant. Another consideration to make is whether your guest’s names will be printed by your supplier or this is something you have to organize separately. The simplest way to ensure you have everything covered is to make a check list and cross it off as you go. Don’t worry if you feel like you’re hounding your invitation supplier, your invitations are an integral aspect to your wedding planning and as such should be done right from the start.

2012 Bridechilla™ Tracey and husband Mark’s wedding invitation suite for their Off The Beaten Path Wedding. (Event Styling by Off The Beaten Path Weddings, photos by What Shanni Saw, vIa Style Me Pretty)

Approving your Proof

Before your invitation is printed your stationer will send you either a digital proof (via email) or a hard copy proof for you to approve or request amendments. It is vital and we cannot stress this enough that you check the proof several times before you approve it. Also, get someone you trust with a fresh set of eyes to check it too. Examine your proof closely, looking for any grammar or spelling mistakes. You’ll be surprised at how easily these are overlooked. Remember, that while your invitation supplier will endeavor to ensure there are no errors, if for instance one does occur and isn’t realized until the order has been printed your supplier will hold no responsibility. You’ll either have to put up with the error or if there is time for a reprint, be prepared for it to come out of your own pocket.

Always Order Extra

After you’ve checked your guest list twice and are ready to place your invitation order, add a few extra to your quantity. You might be thinking why would I want to pay for extra invitations that I have no one to give them too? Simply put you might have managed to miss someone or an unexpected guest might be added to your list after it has been finalized. Also, if you are addressing your invites yourself be prepared for the likely chance that an error will occur. If instead you’ve hired a professional calligrapher remember that they’re only human and can make mistakes too!

Hold on to an invitation! It makes the perfect keepsake from your wedding day. (via Style Me Pretty, photo by Meg Miller Photography)

Lastly, don’t forget to keep an invitation for yourself. It’ll make the perfect keepsake of your special day.

About the author

Kristi Charter is a passionate freelance writer, inspired by all that is beautiful, fresh and creative. With a keen interest in the wedding industry and a wide array of knowledge, Kristi is a regular blogger for Giant Invitations.

Photo by Michelle Kim Photography

Happy “Throwback Thursday” chill readers! Our BRIDECHILLA™ Mckenzie and her [now] husband Tim were one of our 2013 Off The Beaten Path couples.. today we are reminiscing with this beautiful video of their wedding day by Hit Maker Films. Their chill day was a prime example of the Off The Beaten Path Weddings team in action, as well as our signature look of elegance inspired by nature. With mercury glass and white hydrangea hanging from the trees and earth-to-table dishes, this day was an Off The Beaten Path Weddings beauty from start to end.